Public Statements

Rohrabacher Calls on Radio Free Asia to Broadcast to Baluchistan

Press Release

Today, Rep. Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA) sent a letter to the President of Radio Free Asia (RFA) requesting they begin "reporting on, and broadcasting to, the Baluchi population in the Baluchi language, especially those who live in Pakistan and Iran." The Government of Pakistan has brutally repressed Baluchi nationalism and denied the Baluchi people their right to self-determination.

"The central Government of Pakistan, despite the billions of dollars in aid that the US government has provided, has not acted in good faith with America, targets Americans for murder and has purposefully moved closer to their main ally, Communist China," stated Rohrabacher in the letter.

"While the government and intelligence services in Pakistan act against the interests of the United States, I believe America can find common ground with the people of South Asia. The Baluchi people would be very receptive to RFA broadcasts in their own language and the increased exposure to accurate and objective news would no doubt be to our and their great benefit."

Rep. Rohrabacher, with Rep. Louie Gohmert (R-TX) and Rep. Steve King (R-IA), introduced H. Con. Res. 104 on February 17th, which expresses the sense of Congress that the people of Baluchistan have the right to self-determination and to their own sovereign country.

On February 16th, Rep. Rohrabacher submitted H.R. 4069 to award the Congressional Gold Medal to Shakeel Afridi, the doctor currently jailed by Pakistan for aiding the US raid that killed Osama Bin Laden. In May 2011, Rep. Rohrabacher introduced H.R. 1790 to defund all US assistance to Pakistan.

Rep. Rohrabacher is Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Oversight and Investigations.